Review of Stolen Gypsy
Posted: 22 Mar 2025, 02:25
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Stolen Gypsy" by Elizabeth Horton-Newton.]
Stolen Gypsy by Elizabeth Horton-Newton is told mainly from the first-person perspective of Terza Blackstone, a beautiful dark-haired, fiery-spirited girl of Romani heritage. The story begins in Terza’s high school classroom, where she and the other students watch a dark cloud of smoke rising from an accident on a nearby highway. The smell of burning rubber is so acrid that the teacher closes the window. Soon after, the principal calls Terza out of class and informs her that her parents died in the accident.
The police shocked her again when they informed her that the Blackstones, her parents, had engaged in various criminal activities and were running from the police when the car accident happened. From the first, the police treated Terza as if she were a criminal as well. Instinctively, not trusting the police, she ran. Tristan Devlin, a handsome charmer with a musical Irish accent, is loading groceries into his trunk in a Walmart parking lot when he sees her dodging behind parked cars. Impulsively, he offers to conceal her in his trunk.
He helps her hide out while the police, Romani mafia leader Andreas Young—her real father—and a revenge-seeking Mexican cartel search for her. Sparks fly between the attractive pair as they dodge danger and deal with disapproving Nora, Tristan's sister, who runs a home for unwed teenage girls. However, their apparent age difference makes Tristan fight the attraction.
There is romance, action, violence, and enough plot twists to keep you flipping the pages. Like Terza, you never knew who to trust. I doubted everybody, including Officer Peter McCray, a former boyfriend of Nora’s and a former friend of Tristan’s, who appeared to side with Terza and the Devlins. And, of course, you immediately distrusted the Feds that were involved. What happened with the Witness Protection Program when Terza was a child, and should she trust the government again with her safety? Did her father, the Romani mafia figure, attempt to kill her? Did he kill her mother?
This was an enjoyable and action-packed read. The characters were engaging but prickly, especially Nora. And as Officer McCray pointed out, the fiery, emotional Terza could also be a real diva. Terza's life was full of uncertainties, leaving the reader with only her fragmented memories to piece together. I liked trying to solve that puzzle but didn’t like the alternate ending; I enjoyed the first one better. I liked the lovely imagery of the yellow gown and the wide-brimmed yellow hat. I gave the book four out of five stars. I deducted a star for editing errors.
I recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers, or romance. I loved the title. I have always been keen to read about the Romani people, so I recommend it to anyone with a similar interest.
******
Stolen Gypsy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Stolen Gypsy by Elizabeth Horton-Newton is told mainly from the first-person perspective of Terza Blackstone, a beautiful dark-haired, fiery-spirited girl of Romani heritage. The story begins in Terza’s high school classroom, where she and the other students watch a dark cloud of smoke rising from an accident on a nearby highway. The smell of burning rubber is so acrid that the teacher closes the window. Soon after, the principal calls Terza out of class and informs her that her parents died in the accident.
The police shocked her again when they informed her that the Blackstones, her parents, had engaged in various criminal activities and were running from the police when the car accident happened. From the first, the police treated Terza as if she were a criminal as well. Instinctively, not trusting the police, she ran. Tristan Devlin, a handsome charmer with a musical Irish accent, is loading groceries into his trunk in a Walmart parking lot when he sees her dodging behind parked cars. Impulsively, he offers to conceal her in his trunk.
He helps her hide out while the police, Romani mafia leader Andreas Young—her real father—and a revenge-seeking Mexican cartel search for her. Sparks fly between the attractive pair as they dodge danger and deal with disapproving Nora, Tristan's sister, who runs a home for unwed teenage girls. However, their apparent age difference makes Tristan fight the attraction.
There is romance, action, violence, and enough plot twists to keep you flipping the pages. Like Terza, you never knew who to trust. I doubted everybody, including Officer Peter McCray, a former boyfriend of Nora’s and a former friend of Tristan’s, who appeared to side with Terza and the Devlins. And, of course, you immediately distrusted the Feds that were involved. What happened with the Witness Protection Program when Terza was a child, and should she trust the government again with her safety? Did her father, the Romani mafia figure, attempt to kill her? Did he kill her mother?
This was an enjoyable and action-packed read. The characters were engaging but prickly, especially Nora. And as Officer McCray pointed out, the fiery, emotional Terza could also be a real diva. Terza's life was full of uncertainties, leaving the reader with only her fragmented memories to piece together. I liked trying to solve that puzzle but didn’t like the alternate ending; I enjoyed the first one better. I liked the lovely imagery of the yellow gown and the wide-brimmed yellow hat. I gave the book four out of five stars. I deducted a star for editing errors.
I recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers, or romance. I loved the title. I have always been keen to read about the Romani people, so I recommend it to anyone with a similar interest.
******
Stolen Gypsy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon